The present invention is directed to a gooseneck lamp assembly and, more particularly, to a gooseneck lamp assembly which has a clamping structure to facilitate its facile mounting upon tables of a substantial range of thickness.
Various devices have been proposed for use by persons with impaired vision or by craftspersons, which would provide in a single installation a light source for illuminating books or workpieces and a magnifying lens for viewing of the book or workpiece with the appropriate magnification. In U.S. Pat. No. Des. 277,320, Applicant has illustrated a combined lamp and magnifier unit disposed upon a clamp to permit its clamping on the edge of a table, workbench or the like. To effectuate the clamping action in the illustrated device, substantial force must be applied to the ends of the spring biased pivotal clamping members to spread the jaws apart for movement over the edge of the table or the like and there is also a restriction on the thickness of the table with which a particularly dimensioned clamp may be employed.
In hospital room and other settings, it has long been known that the visually impaired require effective illumination and frequently independent and self-supporting means for magnification of the books or the like which the patient may be using. Desk lamps and desk magnifiers placed upon the top surface of the table may be inadvertently knocked over and also frequently occupy a substantial portion of the space so as to minimize the table surface available for use by the person. Moreover, many elderly persons are troubled by arthritis or other conditions which minimize the strength in their hands, so that a clamping unit of the type shown in Applicant's prior patent does not represent a practical solution because of the strength required to open the jaws for clamping action.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel gooseneck lamp assembly which may be readily clamped upon a table by persons with relatively little strength in their hands and which will accommodate a substantial range of widths in the tables with which used.
It is also an object to provide such an assembly which is relatively compact and which is relatively stable when clamped upon the table.
Another object is provide such an assembly which may be readily fabricated and which is rugged in construction to provide relatively long life.